Can Yılmaz Uzun, born on 11 November 2005 in Regensburg, Germany, is a Turkish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder and forward. The son of a Black Sea-origin family, he holds dual citizenship of Germany and Türkiye. He continues his club career with Eintracht Frankfurt, a team in the German Bundesliga.

Early Life and Youth Career

He began his football journey in the youth academy of 1. FC Nürnberg. After making four appearances for the reserve team in Regionalliga Bayern, he was promoted to Nürnberg’s second team in April 2023 and then to the first-team squad in May of the same year.

Professional Club Career

Nürnberg Period The player made his professional debut in the 2. Bundesliga and truly broke through during the 2023–2024 season. In the first round of the DFB-Pokal, he scored a hat-trick in a 9–1 victory against Oberneuland. This performance earned him the record as the youngest player in the 88-year history of the DFB-Pokal to score a hat-trick, surpassing the previous record held by Olaf Thon. During that season, he appeared in 30 matches in the 2. Bundesliga, scoring 16 goals and providing 2 assists, becoming the first 18-year-old in league history to reach those figures. His performances attracted interest from several clubs including Galatasaray, Beşiktaş, Fenerbahçe and Bayern Munich.

Eintracht Frankfurt Period

At the start of the 2024–2025 season, he transferred to Eintracht Frankfurt, one of the top clubs in Germany’s premier league, the Bundesliga. During the 2025–2026 season, he achieved a streak of scoring in five consecutive matches. With this run, he became the fourth young player in the 21st century to score in five straight games across Europe’s top five leagues. In the 2025–2026 season, he made 15 appearances for the club, covered a distance of 110.4 kilometers, and contributed 6 goals and 3 assists. He frequently played alongside teammates Jonathan Burkardt and Ritsu Dōan in offensive organization.

However, his match rhythm during the 2025–2026 season was disrupted due to hamstring injuries. He missed the entire month of November 2025 because of injury. After returning to play and scoring 2 goals and providing 1 assist in his first four matches of 2026, he suffered another injury in the same area during a match against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, causing him to be sidelined for an indefinite period.

Can Uzun (AA)

National Team Career

The player previously represented Germany at youth levels but later chose to play for Türkiye. Efforts by German Football Association officials, particularly Rudi Völler, to recruit him for the German national team were unsuccessful. After Türkiye Football Federation’s Senior National Teams Coordinator Hamit Altıntop became involved in the process, Uzun decided to represent Türkiye. He publicly announced his decision on 4 March 2024 with the statement, “I listened to the voice of my heart.” He made his debut for the Türkiye senior national team on 22 March 2024 in a friendly match against Hungary.

He had also previously played for the Türkiye U21 national team but was not included in Türkiye’s final 26-man squad for the 2024 UEFA European Championship. In a public statement following his exclusion, he expressed disappointment at not being selected and stated that his next major goal is to wear the Türkiye jersey at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Playing Style and Physical Attributes

Standing 1.86 meters tall and weighing 67 kilograms, Uzun is typically deployed as a shadow striker, number 10 or number 8. In his own words, he prefers to operate in the left half-space.

Despite his height, he has a low center of gravity, allowing him to maintain balance and control the ball effectively in tight spaces. His ability to turn with the ball under pressure, his equal proficiency with both feet when shooting, and his willingness to take initiative in critical moments such as penalty situations are among his standout qualities. He possesses exceptional speed, having been measured at 33.85 kilometers per hour.

However, certain weaknesses in his playing style have been identified. He is not a significant threat when making runs behind the defensive line and lacks elite acceleration. He also struggles in aerial duels and shows vulnerability in one-on-one defensive situations when deployed in midfield. His tendency to lose possession and his occasional over-retention of the ball, leading to risky passes that disrupt the flow of play, are noted as areas for improvement.